November 19, 2001
Texas A&M's Beth Weynand once again highlights the 52-member Volleyball Academic All-Big 12 Team, announced by the league office today. For the second consecutive year, the senior defensive specialist from Austin, Texas, was the only student-athlete on the Big 12 academic team to sport a cumulative 4.00 grade-point average (gpa). She is making her third overall appearance on the academic team.
Weynand is joined on the first team by Aggie teammates Erin Lechler and Jenna Moscovic, both three-time members of the academic team, as well as Tara Pulaski. A.D. Achilefu is a member of the second team.
Weynand, who was named to the Verizon Academic All-District VI first team last week, has played in every match for the 13th-ranked Aggies and is averaging 2.17 digs per game. She is scheduled to graduate in December with a degree in biomedical science.
Lechler, a senior outside hitter majoring in information and operations management, has started every match for A&M this season and leads the Aggies with 3.57 kills and 4.02 points per game. The Houston native is slated to join Weynand in A&M's December commencement ceremonies.
Moscovic, an accounting major and member of the 2001 Verizon Academic All-District VI second team, is averaging 12.97 assists per game this season and leads the Aggies with a .344 hitting percentage. The senior setter from Stockton, Calif., leads the nation with five triple-doubles and of last week had A&M ranked No. 1 in the nation in both team assists and kills per game.
Pulaski is making her second consecutive appearance on the academic team. Majoring in accounting, the sophomore middle blocker from Encinitas, Calif., is second among the A&M starters with a .283 hitting percentage and 0.81 blocks per game.
Achilefu, a junior middle blocker from Houston, is making her second consecutive appearance on the second team. The jump server, who tied a school record with six aces against Oklahoma, is averaging a team-leading .40 aces per game.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the sports information offices, the volleyball academic all-league squad consists of 41 combined first-team members with 11 on the second team. First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.2 or better gpa, while the second team are those who have a 3.0 to 3.19 gpa.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 gpa or higher either cumulative of the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are eligible.
The Aggies (21-5, 14-4 Big 12) conclude the regular season with two home matches this week. A&M takes on rival Texas on Wednesday and then completes its schedule against the Red Raiders on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
A&M's five seniors -- Michelle Cole, Lechler, Moscovic, Brandi Mount and Weynand -- will be making their final scheduled appearance of their careers at G. Rollie and will be recognized prior to Saturday's match.
Texas A&M members of the 2001 volleyball Academic All-big 12 Team:
First Team (Name, Class, Position, Major, Hometown)
Erin Lechler Sr. Outside Hitter Information &Operations Mgmt. Houston, Texas
Jenna Moscovic Sr. Setter Accounting Stockton, Calif.
Tara Pulaski So. Middle Blocker Accounting Encinitas, Calif.
*Beth Weynand Sr. Defensive Specialist Biomedical Science Austin, Texas
Second Team
A.D. Achilefu Jr. Middle Blocker Journalism Houston, Texas